Meet Me At Peach Hill
by sundaybest7
Summary: Three years ago Carly and Freddie promised to meet at the place they grew up.


This is based on me and my best friend only it was his mom who got sick not mine. Enjoy and rate and whatever else you do :]

The grass looked forest green in the mid summer moon light. The park was big and I was late. I promised I'd meet him at 10:00 pm, exactly 3 years ago. Sophomore year I transferred to Briarwood. It was a mistake and I see that now, but back then I just cared about fancy schools and filling a void I'd been missing. We were graduating this week and we haven't spoken in a year. Would he even remember? It didn't matter; even the slightest chance we'd meet again made me want to try. I picked up the pace as I reached our spot.

The leaning tree. We spent many summer afternoons playing and climbing and getting lost in its branches. It was the perfect climbing tree because of its low branches that made it easy for our short legs to scale. I ran my fingers over the spot we carved our initials "FB + CS= BFF" I decided to climb it for old times sake. I sat down on the lowest branch, breathing in the smell of peach farms.

I wanted to go back to these times. Being a carefree child and making wishes on shooting stars that might've been planes, but it didn't matter. Dreams still lived for us back then. Me and Freddie would pick peaches then climb up on the tree and laugh as peach juice ran down our face. Everything made sense.

Then she got sick and the tree seemed like all I had. I'd go to the tree after seeing her in that white room; to get away from those incandescent lights and scrubs that I hated. Sometimes Freddie went with me to see her. It helped, but it didn't make her better. Five months of that cycle and she'd had enough. Just like that she was done and I just remember black- too much black- and I remember crying to Freddie as we sat on this tree. Suddenly nothing made sense. Everything was weird and my legs always felt like jello that would collapse and even seeing girls with their mothers made me angry. I'd scream sometimes, but it didn't help because she wouldn't hear me anymore and she couldn't see me anymore. People pretended they cared. They sent flowers and constantly said how sorry they were. It annoyed me, they didn't even know her and they barely knew me. Then the flowers slowly stopped and the condolences stopped and I went back to school. How could people act like everything was normal?

But when I thought no one would listen, he would listen and act like all that mattered in the world was me and that moment. But that's what being a child is. It's living in the moment. Even in the worst times the tree was there. Freddie was always there too and he had a funny way of always making me laugh, even if I was laughing at him and not with him. He was different, very different from the brainiacs and meatheads there on scholarship at Briarwood.

The day before I left for briarwood, we sat on this very tree and talked, we promised we'd stay in touch and wish on every shooting star for each other, just for luck. Freddie even said he'd save the best peaches from the farm for me. It made me feel special. And it made me wonder why I'd want to leave all this. But maybe it was because maybe - just maybe- I thought I'd find of piece of her there. I hoped she'd be proud and smiling at me as I grabbed my diploma. I've matured since then and I know she won't, but what's the point of living if you can't pretend? The last thing we decided that was if we ever lost touch we'd meet at this very tree at 10:00 pm the night we graduated. I don't know why we chose that time, but it stuck and we pinky swore.

So here I was waiting for him. I checked my cell phone clock; 10:25.

"Ugh what are you doing Carly, he's not coming." I guess he'd changed. I grabbed my bag and hoped off the branch, which seemed much lower to the ground then I remembered. The wind was blowing and I heard a howl. I froze as I heard the sound of grass rustling. From the other side of the field I saw a figure walking this way. It came closer and it was undeniably Freddie. I dropped my bag and ran. He noticed and ran too and as I reached him I jumped into him, wrapping my legs around his waist nearly knocking him off his feet. He held me tight as I put my legs down and stood on my own two feet, yet not letting go of him. I put my head on his shoulder and he rubbed circles in my back. I felt ten years old again. As we backed out of the hug I saw him smile. Then I saw him bend down and pick something up, something he must've dropped when I nearly tackled him with my hug.

"Sorry I'm late; I was trying to pick the best peach I could find for you."


End file.
